First International Training of Defense Lawyers in Vietnam to be Conducted by IBJ in Cooperation with the Hanoi Bar Association and Vietnamese Ministry of Justice

International Bridges to Justice (IBJ) announced today that it will be conducting the first training by international legal experts of Vietnamese defense lawyers in adversarial criminal defense skills under the spirit of the Polit Buro Resolution No.08 and the Amended Criminal Procedural Code. Vietnam has passed new laws and signed international conventions in recent years to protect the legal rights of its citizens.. The training, being organized in cooperation with the Ha Noi Bar Association and the Vietnamese Ministry of Justice will take place in Hanoi from 5 to 7 April. This is the first training course This training is the first major step in IBJs Vietnam program that aims to support the practical implementation of these laws to provide a fairer working criminal justice system.

Geneva, Switzerland (PRWEB) April 4, 2004 --International Bridges to Justice (IBJ) announced today that it will be conducting the first training of Vietnamese defense lawyers by international legal experts. The training, being organized in cooperation with the Ha Noi Bar Association and the Vietnamese Ministry of Justice will take place in Hanoi from 5 to 7 April.

A number of criminal defense lawyers from the United States will lecture and introduce American adversarial criminal defense skills to the Vietnamese trainees who will include lawyers from throughout Vietnam. This is the first training course in adversarial criminal defense skills under the spirit of the Polit Buro Resolution No.08 and the Amended Criminal Procedural Code. Vietnam has passed new laws and signed international conventions in recent years to protect the legal rights of its citizens. This training is the first major step in IBJs Vietnam program that aims to support the practical implementation of these laws to provide a fairer working criminal justice system.

IBJ works closely with the Vietnamese Ministry of Justice, the Ha Noi Bar Association and Legal Aid of Vietnam to ensure that the government and legal community approves and supports all activities. This joint approach helps Vietnamese criminal defense lawyers to be more effective public defenders as well as improving their standing in the criminal justice system.

Speaking of this event, Minister of Justice Uong Chu Luu said: This important training course is timely regarding the current policy on strengthening capacity of the criminal defense lawyers. Hopefully, the Vietnamese lawyers will have more and more chances to learn from those countries with advanced adversarial proceeding systems."

This first international defense lawyer training is the culmination of two years of work with the Vietnamese Ministry of Justice and the Ha Noi Bar Association" said Karen Tse, Executive Director of International Bridges to Justice. A fair and effective criminal defense system enshrines the rule of law and constitutional legal rights into daily practice, to the benefit of all Vietnamese citizens."

About International Bridges to Justice

International Bridges to Justice (IBJ) is an independent, non-profit organization dedicated to supporting legal aid and public defense lawyers in Cambodia, China and Vietnam. The organization works with the legal and justice authorities in these countries to improve emerging legal aid and criminal defender systems for the benefit of all citizens.

IBJ runs hands-on training programs for public defenders and local legal aid officers, provides technological and infrastructure support to legal aid centers, develops practical how to" manuals and web-site resources for defense lawyers, and distributes posters and brochures in legal aid centers to promote citizens legal rights.

Founded in 2000, IBJ is supported by various private and institutional donors. More information can be found at www.ibj.org

Contact Information:

Karen Tse
Executive Director
Tel: +41 22 731 2441

www.ibj.org